Judges 20:42

Judges 20:42 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
• New International Version (NIV)So they fled before the Israelites in the direction of the wilderness, but they could not escape the battle. And the Israelites who came out of the towns cut them down there.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them. And those who came out of the cities were destroying them in their midst.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them, and whoever came out of the cities they destroyed in their midst.

Context of Judges 20:42

40But when the warriors of Benjamin looked behind them and saw the smoke rising into the sky from every part of the town, 41the men of Israel turned and attacked. At this point the men of Benjamin became terrified, because they realized disaster was close at hand. So they turned around and fled before the Israelites toward the wilderness. But they couldn’t escape the battle, and the people who came out of the nearby towns were also killed. 43The Israelites surrounded the men of Benjamin and chased them relentlessly, finally overtaking them east of Gibeah. 44That day 18,000 of Benjamin’s strongest warriors died in battle.

Judges 20:42 word by word

וַיִּפְנ֞וּ לִפְנֵ֨י אִ֤ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְהַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה הִדְבִּיקָ֑תְהוּ וַאֲשֶׁר֙ מֵהֶ֣עָרִ֔ים מַשְׁחִיתִ֥ים אוֹת֖וֹ בְּתוֹכֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Therefore they turnedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• unto the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: directionH1870
• of the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• but the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• overtookדָּבַקdâbaq · to cleaveH1692
• out of the citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• they destroyedשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432

Cross-references for Judges 20:42

• Lamentations 1:3Judah has been led away into captivity, oppressed with cruel slavery. She lives among foreign nations and has no place of rest. Her enemies have chased her down, and she has nowhere to turn.
• Hosea 9:9The things my people do are as depraved as what they did in Gibeah long ago. God will not forget. He will surely punish them for their sins.
• Hosea 10:9The Lord says, “O Israel, ever since Gibeah, there has been only sin and more sin! You have made no progress whatsoever. Was it not right that the wicked men of Gibeah were attacked?

Commentaries on Judges 20:42

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 42The way of the wilderness - i. e., the wilderness which extended from Jericho to the hills of Bethel. Them which came out of the cities - These must be the Benjamites Judges 20:15. Hence, “in the midst of them” must mean “in their own cities”, where they severally fled for refuge, but failed to find shelter Judges 20:48. Anathoth, Alemath, Ramah, Ataroth, Geba, Michmash, Ai, Bethel, Migron, etc., would probably be the cities meant, all lying east and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36-48This section provides another description of the battle.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-4829-48. And Israel set liers-in-wait round about Gibeah--A plan was formed of taking that city by stratagem, similar to that employed in the capture of Ai [Jos 8:9].Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 20:42

• Armies
• Strategy

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Congregation
• Fetch
• Gibeah
• Glean
• Trust
• Wickedness
• Wolf
• Archery
• Israel, History of

Commentaries on Judges 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary